What Are The Best Cake Pans

General Tips For Extending The Life Of Your Baking Pan

Here are some general care tips to keep in mind that will help extend the life of your baking pan.

• Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to promote a more even bake. They also make cleanup a breeze at the end of use, which will help prolong the life of your pans.
• Always remove food from the pan before slicing or cutting.
• Use non-metal utensils when removing product from a metal baking pan.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats

This roundup was written by Brigitt Earley, who has written and edited hundreds of articles in the food space for various publications over the course of the last 10 years. Brigitt also attended the French Culinary Institute in NYC. Her kitchen is stocked with a mixture of Nordic Ware and Calphalon baking pans.

This piece was edited by Bernadette Machard de Gramont, an LA-based writer who specializes in global food and wine content. She researches and tests a variety of cookware, bakeware, and wine tools, and interviews field experts for their insight.

Best Mini Cake Pan: Usa Pan Bakeware Mini Round Cake And Cinnamon Roll Pan

Amazon

Pros: Its made in the USA, and you use it for more than mini cakes.

Cons: It only makes six mini cakes per batch.

Get your next party started with mini cakes baked in this six-well pan, which also lends itself well to cinnamon rolls, hamburger buns, mini tartes, and more. With BPA-free, nonstick silicone coating, it has a quick release that aids in easy clean up. Wash it with some mild soap in hot water and a gentle scrub.

• Material: Alloy steel
• Dimensions: 4.3 x 1.5 inches
• Wash: Hand wash

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Best Cake Pans For Professional Bakers: Things To Consider

Now you know the best cake pans for professional bakers! That helps narrow it down. But if youre still unsure about which one to add to your shopping cart, here are a few things to consider.

Size of the Pan

The first thing to consider is the size. Do you want to stick to regular, 9-inch round cakes, or do you want to venture to different sizes? Personally, I enjoy making tiered cakes, which is why I picked the Wilton Round Cake Pan set as my number one choice, but its entirely up to you.

Type of Cake Pan

There are a few different types of cake pans listed above. I put a couple of normal round cake pans that will see you through most of your cake-baking adventures. However, some people might consider adding the springform pan and bundt cake pan for even more versatility.

Material

There are a couple of materials listed above, too. While I enjoy aluminum, there is nothing wrong with alloy steel or stainless steel. All will work wonderfully. Its just a matter of personal preference.

Features

Check out the features below each product name and decide which features are most important to you. For instance, some may think a dishwasher-safe product is essential, while others want swirl detailing.

Price

Last but not least, check out the price tag. None of these pans are expensive, but some are cheaper than others. So, decide which pans fit your budget.

Even Browning And Heating

When the cake batter is baked in a round cake pan, heat is evenly distributed throughout the entire pan. By baking the cake in a circular shape, you allow for even browning. If you notice on a rectangular-shaped cake, browning occurs on the longer sides of the cake whereas the short sides remain white. However, when using a round cake pan, this wont happen. All batter exposed directly to the pan browns uniformly.

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Why Trust Simply Recipes

Abigail Abesamis Demarest is a freelance journalist who specializes in food and drink content. Shes interviewed professional chefs to learn about baking pans and baking basics so she can share this knowledge with readers. Baking and watching The Great British Baking Show are some of her favorite ways to unwind.

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What To Look For When Buying Online

The internet has made shopping easier than ever before. You can find anything you need with just a few clicks of the mouse. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind when shopping online. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your online shopping experience.

1. Customer Reviews

As we mentioned before, online sites such as Amazon, eBay, and Overstock have a review section. This section is filled with customer feedbacks and even pictures of the product. Browsing through these reviews is the smartest thing to do. These reviews allow you to comprehend how the product will work for you. You can even determine the pros and cons of these reviews.

Check the rating on the website to learn if the seller is delivering the product as expected by the other buyers.

The item youre buying. Make sure youre getting what you want and that its the correct size, color, etc.

2. Quality

Quality is paramount when choosing any product. Different brands have different visions and objectives, so its important to examine each brands promises carefully to see if they align with what youre looking for. Go for the option with the best quality, and you cant go wrong.

3. Features

What are The Benefits of Buying Best 10 Cake Pans Online?

You can also take your time when you shop online. You can read reviews, compare prices, and find the perfect product for you. Theres no pressure to buy something on the spot.

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Be Mindful Of The Nature Of The Recipe That Youre Changing

Usually cake recipes can be doubled, depending on the original recipe. However, if Im making a double recipe that will result in a large volume of batter, I prefer to make single batches TWICE, rather than making double the amount. This is because making a double batch can affect the texture of the final outcome because its harder to mix ingredients well in larger volumes.

Other Cake Pans We Tested

In my search for the best cake pan, I tested pans from specialty kitchen stores, dedicated cake-pan companies, and restaurant supply stores: Fat Daddios , Nordicware , OXO , Williams Sonoma , Wilton , and Winco . All had smooth bottoms except for the OXO and Williams Sonoma models, which had textured patterns. All the cake pans I tested were 9×2 inches, a standard size for many cake recipes.

While it felt sturdily made , the OXO pans instructions specified that the pan should not be used with baking spray since baking spray is such a go-to for most home bakers, this felt like an inconvenience. The pan also browned cakes unevenly, as did the Nordicware, Wilton, and Winco pans. The Wilton and Winco pans were the least expensive of the bunch, but felt flimsy.

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Best Springform Pan: Fat Daddio’s Aluminum Springform Cake Pan

• Wide base with raised bottom reduces leaks

• Available in several sizes

While springform pans dont typically see as much baking action as other pans in your baking arsenal, its still a good idea to have a few on hand for special baking projects like cheesecakes, flourless chocolate cakes, tarts, and piesor anything that youll need to use extra care removing from the pan. Our favorite multi-purpose springform pan is made by Fat Daddios, and is made from professional-grade anodized aluminum.

There are two features that set these springform pans apart from traditional springform pans. The first is the wider base that extends past the round cake form, angling slightly up like the rim of a plate. Additionally, the base of the pan is raised inside the round cake form to create even more protection against leaking, as well as deterring water from entering the form if youre baking using a water bath. There is still an inner rib on the inside of the plate for the form to grip onto, holding the pieces together, but the updated design helps to keep everything where its supposed to be and makes for an easy release when you remove the round form.

The anodized aluminum is lightweight and quickly conducts heat to whats inside, making for an efficient and even bake. The pans are available in five sizes, and all of them have 3-inch sides. Its recommended that you hand-wash these pans to prevent the aluminum from oxidizing and extend the life of the pans.

Why This Is The Easiest Way

Youre probably wondering why you cant just plop the cake pan on parchment, trace a circle around it, and cut that out instead. Well, that will result in a round thats just a tiny bit too large for the inside of the pan, and youll have to trim it down some more. Its not the most efficient way.

This method, which is a bit like how you cut paper snowflakes out when you were child, just requires some simple folding and a quick trim with some scissors: rip off a piece of parchment just slightly larger than your cake pan, then fold it into a rough square and finally into a triangle. Take the tip of that triangle and place it on the center of your cake pan, then trim the excess parchment hanging over the edge off. Unfold the paper and presto! A round piece of parchment that will fit perfectly on the bottom of your pan.

Trust me, this really is the easiest way. Once you try this method, youll never even think about buying pre-cut parchment rounds again and your cakes will always come out of their pans like a dream.

Tear off a sheet of parchment.

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Loaf Pan Or Bread Pan

A bread or loaf pan is a skinny rectangular pan, typically glass or metal, used to bake bread, shaping it as it rises. It can also be used for baking meatloaves and freezing granitas and ice creams. It’s quite handy.

Pyrex’s well-loved 1.5-quart glass version won’t warp or stain and has large ergonomic handles for easier handling. It’s dishwasher safe and also comes with a BPA-free lid for convenient storage or bringing along to parties.

Buy it: $19.86

Best Jelly Roll Pan: Nordic Ware Natural Jelly Roll Pan

If youre someone who cares deeply about the ratio of cake to frosting, please consider the Swiss roll. And to achieve this rolled delight, you need a proper jelly roll pan, usually smaller than a half-sheet pan at 15 by 10 inches with 1-inch sides . If youre a casual home baker, you probably dont need a half-sheet pan and a jelly roll pan, but if youre attempting a recipe that calls for the latter, you wont get the right results with the former. Nordic Wares jelly roll pan features fortified sides to prevent warping, and its made from high-quality aluminum for ideal heat conductivity and even bakes every time.

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The Best Cake Pan Overall

Fat Daddios sturdy but lightweight anodized aluminum pan browns every cakes exterior beautifully. If you’re looking for the best nonstick cake pan, it fits that description as well: It releases cakes easily, turning out golden-brown, perfectly-even, and straight-sided cakes. And the best news is that this pan is extremely easy to wash.

Fat Daddios cake pan has a satiny finish thanks to a nontoxic anodizing process, which seals the metals natural pores and makes for a more durable material.

This pan has a rolled edge that sticks out slightly from the side of the pan at first I was afraid this would make for harder-to-clean nooks and crannies. Actually, it made it much easier to hold the pan securely with bulky oven mitts. As a bonus, Fat Daddio also makes anodized aluminum pans in multiple depths and diameters , offering more size and variety than other brands. This is great for avid cake-bakers who want more versatility and consistency. The only downside? The pans dont stack well .

Wilton Angel Food Cake 10 Tube Pan

Material:Coating/Finish:REASONS TO BUY

Just like the Wilton square pans above, the Wilton Angel Food Cake 10″ Tube Pan offers a top-quality piece of bakeware at an exceptional value. Although it is also offered in a chromium-steel version with a nonstick coating, we opted to test the more professional, quick-cooling aluminum model. We picked this model particularly because it offers a removable bottom/core and feet that elevate the pan for uncomplicated cooling. When compared to the classic method of cooling a delicate Angel Food or chiffon cake which requires careful balancing on a longneck bottle this pan offers a simple alternative.

We are surprised at just how thin the aluminum sidewalls are on this pan but are overall impressed with its baking performance when compared side-by-side to the heavier-weight option from Nordic Ware discussed below. It is certainly not a “heavyweight” pan as advertised, but based on our baking experience, we see no reason why this pan won’t last years with proper storage and care. The PFOA-free nonstick coating allows the sides of a cake to slide out with ease. However, we had a particularly tough time cleanly removing the pan’s core without pulling away part of the cake top. But to its benefit, this is a constant struggle of baking cakes for which you cannot grease the pan.

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Things You Should Never Do When Choosing The Best Size Cake Pans

When it comes to buying the best size cake pans, most people think about the features they want and how much they’re willing to spend. But before you make your final decision, there are some things you should never do. Here are seven of them.

1) Don’t choose a product based on its price

Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it’s the best option. Do your research and read reviews to see if the product is worth the price.

2) Don’t buy a product without reading the reviews

Even if you’re familiar with a brand, it’s important to read reviews before buying anything. Reviews can give you insights into a product’s quality, durability, and more.

3) Don’t buy a product without doing your research

If you’re not familiar with a product or brand, make sure to do your research before buying it. Look for reviews and compare prices to get the best deal.

4) Don’t buy a product that doesn’t have a warranty

A warranty is a sign that a company stands behind its product. If something goes wrong, you’ll be covered.

5) Don’t buy a product if you can’t return it

Make sure you can return a product if you’re not satisfied with it. Most stores have a return policy, but some don’t, so check before you buy.

6) Don’t buy a used product unless you know it’s been well-maintained

If you’re buying a used product, make sure it’s in good condition. Check for signs of wear and tear, and make sure all the parts are included.

7) Don’t buy a product without trying it out first

How We Researched & Tested

To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key featureslike ease of use, material, or pricein addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. Our team also incorporated their own personal experiences testing products in their own lives. We then used these insights from our research and testing to assign a star rating from one to five to certain products on the list.

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The Best Cake Pan For Small Kitchens

The Williams Sonoma Cleartouch Nonstick Round Pan is sturdy and well made. The Cleartouch browned the cake deeply and beautifullyperhaps thanks to the chevron pattern on its base, which the company says increases airflow for even baking and browning. Its silicone coatingwhich makes the pan nonstick without the potentially-harmful components found in many nonstick treatmentseasily released the cake. The Cleartouch stacks easily with other pans due to sides that are slightly sloped, which also make the pan very easy to hold and remove from the oven however, that design means your cake wont have perfectly straight sides. Though the stacking capability is a major pro for many short-on-space bakers, the sloped sides that allow for it are an equally major con . Ultimately, the Cleartouch takes second place due to its sloped sides and the same silicone coating that makes it so nonstick: It can scratch easily, dinging the coating and diminishing its lifespan.

Best Ceramic: Made In Square Baking Dish

• Attractive design and color options

While some of the other pans on this list are really only useful for cakes, loaves, tarts, or pies, the Made In porcelain baking dish covers a much wider range of baked foods. Our tester baked everything from dessert and casseroles to vegetables and biscuits in this baking dish, with fantastic results every time. The restaurant-quality ceramic construction heats slowly and evenly, making it perfect for baked dishes that spend a little more time in the oven, like brownies and baked pasta dishes. The handles make the pan easy to get a grip on, and the dish itself cools slowly, keeping your foods warmer for longer while you’re enjoying dinner.

The design of the Made In ceramic baking dish is timeless, with a nod to the white vintage enamel-coated sheet trays with a blue pinstripe around the edge of the pan. The dishes are also available with a red rim, as well as a slate blue or olive green finish to fit your tastes. Our tester tried the 8 x 8-inch square baking dish and noted that even without greasing the dish, there was very little sticking from anything that was baked in it. Additionally, they noted that the dish was easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher. The ceramic is of course oven-safe up to 650°F, but can also be used in the refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, and microwave.

The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie

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